National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AE4 Develop conservation plans for archaeological items

AE4.1 Explore conservation options for items

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. Reviewing and collating the available information on the key aspects of and risks to the items
2. Exploring a range of potential conservation options and assessing any new approaches for their effectiveness
3. Taking into account present and future environmental conditions affecting the items
4. Identifying solutions to conservation problems
5. Taking into account the items' integrity, the expected role and use, and the resources of the owner
6. Identifying and assessing the limitations, risks and effects of all conservation options
7. Identifying clearly the resource implications of the conservation options
8. Testing the materials and treatment methods correctly to ensure their suitability
9. Adapting conservation procedures where necessary and collecting information on their use

Occupational Context

1. Items
   • Unstable / stable items
   • Moderately / seriously degraded items
   • Incomplete / complete
   • Undamaged / damaged
2. Conservation options
   • Remedial or preventive
   • In situ / off-site
   • Stabilisation / environmental conditioning or not
   • Maintaining open access or with specific security
3. Resource implications
   • Cost and finances
   • materials / equipment
   • time
   • research / administrative / technical support
   • internal / external professional expertise
   • accommodation / space

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Record information on the application of new approaches, and why it is important to disseminate it

You need to know about:

Conservation Options:

• The appropriate amount of information and level of detail required to identify conservation options
• The environmental conditions likely to affect the item
• The most valuable sources of information on new conservation options
• Why the particular options have been examined
• How ethics affect the choice of option

Strategic planning:

• The costs and resource implications of different conservation options, and how they can be assessed for a specific item
• The health and safety implications of different conservation options
• The likely effects of the present and future use of the item

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

• Risk assessment
• Consultation skills

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can explore conservation options for items

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they

• explore conservation options for items and collections that are moderately or seriously degraded and for at least one unstable item.

Evidence Rules

The candidate should have developed plans for a range of items typical of their work area.

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Today's date: 31/7/2010
This page last updated: 6/8/2007 11:58